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natgon's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
lbarsk's review against another edition
5.0
This book is SO CRUCIAL. Every self-identified feminist should read it, every woman who thinks she isn't a feminist should read it, and people of every other gender should also read it. Roxane Gay is incredibly smart and her writing is deeply engaging; she tackles difficult topics with poise and humor and so much good sense. I now need to go read her fiction and also every other nonfiction piece by her that I can get my hands on.
Please go read this book. You won't regret it.
Please go read this book. You won't regret it.
drridareads's review against another edition
5.0
"I openly embrace the label of bad feminist. I do so because I am flawed and human. I am not terribly well versed in feminist history. I am not as well read in key feminist texts as I would like to be. I have certain . . . interests and personality traits and opinions that may not fall in line with mainstream feminism, but I am still a feminist. I cannot tell you how freeing it has been to accept this about myself."
This is my first book about feminism and also the first essays book.
I think this is a book that changes you. It changes the way you view things.
Gay talks about so much; race, gender, lack of representation, sexuality, tragedy, rape culture, reproductive freedom etc.
How weird is it that our bodies are a subject of debate for politicians?
She talks about popular stuff like Hunger Games why she loved it and The Help and it's flaws. How wrong is it the movies about coloured people are directed and written by white people.
As a female Asian I agree with her. From books to tv shows and even movies, I look for some one who would look like me. I barely ever come across such characters. And even if i do they're more like background characters.
She says that she is not perfect. She has contradictions. Her voice is so raw and human. The chapter "Tragedy. Call. Compassion. Response" was written so beautifully.
She talks of guilty pleasure in the kind of songs we listen to. So many of the songs these days are so freaking sexist but they are just so catchy. It is just so wrong but so fun.
I absolutely loved this. And everyone should read it!
This is my first book about feminism and also the first essays book.
I think this is a book that changes you. It changes the way you view things.
Gay talks about so much; race, gender, lack of representation, sexuality, tragedy, rape culture, reproductive freedom etc.
How weird is it that our bodies are a subject of debate for politicians?
She talks about popular stuff like Hunger Games why she loved it and The Help and it's flaws. How wrong is it the movies about coloured people are directed and written by white people.
As a female Asian I agree with her. From books to tv shows and even movies, I look for some one who would look like me. I barely ever come across such characters. And even if i do they're more like background characters.
She says that she is not perfect. She has contradictions. Her voice is so raw and human. The chapter "Tragedy. Call. Compassion. Response" was written so beautifully.
She talks of guilty pleasure in the kind of songs we listen to. So many of the songs these days are so freaking sexist but they are just so catchy. It is just so wrong but so fun.
I absolutely loved this. And everyone should read it!
amberg8's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
seraphiina's review against another edition
3.0
(3.5/5)
Personally, I did enjoy this essay collection. I loved how Roxane Gay managed to navigate between Scrabble, Hunger Games, the political value of twitter and the joys of reality TV, keeping it just the right mix between rightful anger, humor and profound reflections. However, the stream-of-consciousness style of writing got to me and from time to time, I did find myself wondering what the topic was in the first place or why I just had to read five reviews on books I've never heard of before. I found myself missing a conclusion or just some way of securing the common thread throughout the essays. Still, I found the essay collection both entertaining, horrifying and enlightening. Definitely worth a read for feminists.
Personally, I did enjoy this essay collection. I loved how Roxane Gay managed to navigate between Scrabble, Hunger Games, the political value of twitter and the joys of reality TV, keeping it just the right mix between rightful anger, humor and profound reflections. However, the stream-of-consciousness style of writing got to me and from time to time, I did find myself wondering what the topic was in the first place or why I just had to read five reviews on books I've never heard of before. I found myself missing a conclusion or just some way of securing the common thread throughout the essays. Still, I found the essay collection both entertaining, horrifying and enlightening. Definitely worth a read for feminists.
moth_dance's review against another edition
5.0
I'm late to this one, but I'm surprised this book or any of its containing essays on teaching, living, loving; pop culture, movies, books; race, gender, and, duh, feminism wasn't assigned in any of the dozens of courses in my decade in academia. Read "Bad Feminist" for all the life lessons and so much more. It's elegant. It's clever. It's honest. Roxane Gay offers so much to explore in each essay, and offers us her soul in most instances. Any one of her essays, and the entire book really, should be assigned reading in high school and colleges and beyond. Just go read it. Now. And reread it later, too.